


Vendetta

by NotMyBestIdea



Series: All Sterek Drabbles, All the Time [8]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: (more like a veiled threat), Demon Deals, Demons, Drabble, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kidnapping, M/M, Mild Blood, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Werewolf Bonds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-17 08:30:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 91
Words: 9,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16971228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotMyBestIdea/pseuds/NotMyBestIdea
Summary: Stiles has been taken by a demon.





	1. Vendetta

**Author's Note:**

> This is the beginning on an ongoing drabble series.  
> Words: scrap, whole, hard

Derek tightened his grip. There was a tearing sound and he was left with a scrap of cloth in his hand. He snarled.

“You’ll have to try harder than that,” the intruder chided. “I thought you liked him?” He shook Stiles like a ragdoll. “Bad news about your so-called boyfriend, _Mischief_. I don’t think he’s really that into you.”

Stiles kicked at him ineffectually. Derek launched himself at the intruder, only to be knocked aside.

“Keep trying,” the intruder said encouragingly. “You want him back whole instead of in tiny pieces, don’t you?” Then he vanished, Stiles along with him.


	2. Debt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: rifle, punch, acid

“I will have what is owed to me,” the demon hissed. “I have waited generations for another spark to be born to your bloodline. You are _mine_.”

Fear hit Stiles like a punch to the gut. _No._ He couldn’t have another entity take over his body, rifle through his memories, use him to do unspeakable things to his friends and family. _To Derek_.

“That idea has merit,” the demon said, drawing a fingernail along the inside of Stiles’ forearm. It left a shallow scratch that burned like acid. “It would be amusing, if unoriginal. But that’s not what I’m after.”


	3. The Hunt Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: transparent, area, smell

Derek forced himself to be still. Racing off to find Stiles with no clear idea of who -  _ what _ \- had taken him wouldn’t help.

He scented the area where the stranger had stood; he could only smell Stiles. Derek knew of a few beings that could mask their scent from a ‘wolf; all of them were dangerous at best, pure evil at worst. 

No matter. If Derek couldn’t track the stranger, he could track Stiles. He just needed a starting point. 

The sun shone through the window, turning his sheer curtains almost transparent. Something on the floor glittered in the sunlight. 


	4. Stalling Tactics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: explain, trouble, dog

The demon tore the front of Stiles’ shirt in half, leaving it hanging open. “Hmm, where to begin,” he mused as if to himself. He met Stiles’ gaze and smiled. It wasn’t a friendly smile. He held up a knife and moved closer.

“Wait,” Stiles said desperately. “Aren’t you going to tell my why you’re going to all this trouble? What are you going to do? And why me?” 

“Oh, you want me to explain? You’re just trying to give your dog more time to sniff you out.”

Stiles glared.  _ Give me enough time and I’ll make you regret everything. _


	5. Clue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: rabbit, chase, yearn

Derek studied the sparkly sand on the floor. Had the stranger left it, or had Stiles? Accidentally or on purpose? He reached out his hand, not quite touching it. 

Suddenly, Derek could hear Stiles’ heartbeat, like a rabbit’s when it’s being chased. This would take him to Stiles; Derek knew it. He could feel a pull, a yearning in his soul, the way he felt whenever they were together.

Maybe it was a trick, the stranger sending him in the wrong direction. Maybe he was walking into a trap. It didn’t matter; he would take that chance to save Stiles.


	6. Ritual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: haircut, concentration, awful

The pain wasn’t nearly awful enough to break Stiles’ concentration, but he didn’t think it was meant to be. He would have to work fast, because he suspected it wouldn’t be long before the pain got much worse.

The demon was creative with his knife, and he liked symmetry. Each shallow cut on one side of his body was mirrored exactly on the other. 

“That hair has to go,” the demon tutted, like this was Demon Eye for the Spark Guy.

“I don’t want a haircut, thanks,” Stiles said. He just needed a little more time to remember that spell…


	7. Impetus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: sip, fresh, eat

Derek lurked outside the doorway to the room where the stranger held Stiles captive. He was hacking off clumps of Stiles’ hair and tossing it in the air. Stiles was covered in cuts. The blood made it hard to tell, but they looked like deliberate shapes, not just random injuries.

The stranger said in a sing-song voice, “Fresh is best, it makes the meat taste sweet. Sip your wine and prepare to eat.”

Stiles’ eyes were closed. His lips were moving slightly.

The stranger laughed. “Only the best for my little pet.”

He raised his knife. Derek sprang at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never claimed to be a song writer


	8. Summoned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: shake, new, tent

The demon brought down the knife, slashing… empty air? Derek plowed into him a moment later, but it was too late. The chair Stiles was tied to began to shake and the air in front of him parted like tent flaps, revealing a darkness that somehow seemed to _squirm_.

“What fresh hell is this?’ Stiles groaned, then quickly began reciting the banishing spell he’d been trying to remember.

The demon began to laugh even as Derek’s claws raked across his chest. “Too late,” he said, then collapsed.

Something came through the rift. Derek stepped between Stiles and the new threat.


	9. Hellbeast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: bacon, breeze, salt

The thing that came out of the rift looked like a cross between… Derek didn't know what. It had four legs and big teeth and the rest didn’t bear looking at for long. Saliva dripped from its jaws, landing with a splat and a sizzle that sounded like bacon frying. 

“Derek,” Stiles whispered. The thing snorted like a bull, and the breeze from its breath reeked of sulfur. “Untie me A-fucking-SAP.”

The thing didn’t move, just pawed the ground as Derek freed Stiles, but when they tried to back away, it followed.

“Salt,” Derek said. “It’s salt for demons, right?”


	10. Emergency Contact

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: package, brand, hunter

“Do you  _ have _ any salt?” Stiles asked. The demon-beast was tracking his movements, though it still wasn’t attacking. Stiles stayed very still anyway.

“No.” Derek was looking around; the thing didn’t care if he moved.

“What, you don’t carry it around, like the little girl with the big umbrella from that one brand?”

Derek sighed. “Do you have your phone?”

“Front pocket, big guy.”

Instead of asking Stiles for it, Derek reached into his pocket.

“Hey, watch the package!”

Derek shook his head. “Why is Argent in your phone as Big Bad Hunter Daddy?”

“...that’s  _ not _ how I meant that.”


	11. On Edge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: pressure, giant, depend

Stiles really wanted to sit down. Standing in place while staring down a hellbeast after being kidnapped and tortured was exhausting. A drop of blood trickled down his arm and dripped to the floor. He swayed. Maybe Derek would bring him a chair.

Derek was talking to Argent on the phone. “I’m not sure where exactly we are. One of the abandoned warehouses on the south edge of town, I think.”

“Have Danny track my phone,” Stiles yelled. “You got that? There’s a giant demon dog waiting to eat me and I’m depending on you to save us. No pressure!”


	12. Mistake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: agony, harmful, presence

_Mountain ash_. Stiles’ thoughts wandered. _In my pocket_.

Derek was still on the phone, but his voice was muffled by the thumping heartbeat in Stiles’ ears.

_Mountain ash. In my pocket._

Stiles pulled a cloth pouch out of his pocket. The hellbeast inched closer and began to growl. _Can’t hurt._

He poured the mountain ash out and tossed it into the air. The hellbeast lunged at him but stopped short as a circle formed around him. Their eyes met and Stiles felt a presence in his head. Agony ripped through his body, _I guess it_ was _harmful_ _,_ and he collapsed.


	13. In Between

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: clean winter bark

All around him, everything was white, like winter fog. There was a pulling sensation in his chest; he touched it, but nothing was there.

He shivered. This wasn’t the room where he had been trapped by the Nogitsune, but he couldn’t help but think of it. It wasn’t anywhere, just endless white. “Bet it’s a bitch to clean,” he muttered. His voice echoed strangely.

He followed the pull in his chest. As he walked, a shimmering cord became visible, brightening as he went. From somewhere, everywhere, he heard a ferocious bark. He thought he knew where he would end up.


	14. Waiting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: sunrise, convulsion, coma

Derek couldn’t reach Stiles. The circle of mountain ash that had protected him from the hellhound was keeping Derek out too.

Stiles lay on the ground, unconscious. So was the hellhound, and that scared Derek more than Stiles potentially being in a coma. It’s collapse was probably connected to Stiles’, and that could not be a good thing.

All Derek could do was wait. 

Sunrise brought the rest of the pack and Chris Argent.

Argent laid a salt circle around the hellhound, and both Stiles and the hellhound were immediately wracked with convulsions.

“Break the circle around Stiles,” Derek yelled.


	15. Flicker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: beard, linger, rain

The pulling sensation got worse as Stiles went on. He began to see little flickers of images on the edge of his vision. His mother’s smiling face. His parents dancing in the kitchen. Playing with Scott. Mom in the hospital. Meeting Derek for the first time (no beard, how had he forgotten?). Dancing with Lydia.  Facing Scott in the rain. Malia. _Derek_.

The memories didn’t linger, even when he wanted them to. They came one after another, disorienting him. He wasn’t even sure he was moving anymore, if he ever had been.

Shit, was his life flashing before his eyes?


	16. Futility

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: withdraw, touch, hover

Derek dropped to his knees next to Stiles. The convulsions had ended as abruptly as they had started and now both Stiles and the hellhound were deathly still. Derek reached out, his hand hovering over Stiles, afraid to touch him.

“The salt should have stopped whatever the hellhound was doing,” Argent said softly.

Derek pulled Stiles into his arms. “Something’s wrong,” he said. 

Argent knelt beside them, examining the symbols cut into Stiles’ skin. “You’re right. This one means bond, that one means life. As in a life that is owed.” He met Derek’s eyes, then withdrew, shaking his head.


	17. Bad Penny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: oppose, dragon, transition

Stiles shook his head, trying to clear his mind. There had to be something he could do to fight this. 

“Who are you to oppose me? You’re a child.” It was the demon. Because of course it was. 

Now he could see the demon’s hellhound, the cord connecting it to Stiles shining brighter than ever. “Great. Are you going to monologue? Aren’t I suffering enough?”

The demon laughed and the hellhound began to change, transitioning into some sort of dragon.

“Suffering?” the demon said. “I’m being quite merciful.”

Stiles could feel himself growing weaker. He’d better figure something out soon.


	18. Do Something

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: ward, thank, log

Derek moved Stiles away from the hellhound. Even warded by salt, he didn’t want Stiles anywhere near it. It didn’t react, of course, just lay there like a misshapen log.

“What do we do?” Erica asked.

“Deaton?” Scott asked. “He might be able to help.”

“Yeah,” Derek said thickly. He cleared his throat. “Yeah, go ahead.”

Scott pulled out his phone to make the call. Boyd and Isaac hovered over Derek and Stiles, uncertain.

“Can we do anything?” Boyd finally asked.

“No, thank you,” Derek said quietly, then changed his mind. “The demon’s body, could you get rid of it?”


	19. Let It Happen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: admire, landscape, pleasant

“I’d hate to think you had any complaints about your treatment,” the demon said silkily. “Let’s try something else, shall we?”

Stiles shuddered. What did the demon have in store for him now?

Around him the landscape began to change, becoming an empty beach. The sun was setting. 

“Isn’t this pleasant?” The demon’s voice was hypnotic. “Relax. Admire the view. No suffering, no pain. Just relax.”

Despite himself, Stiles did start to relax. He couldn’t feel the pull in his chest anymore. 

“Isn’t that better?” the demon went on.

No. The demon wanted him compliant. Stiles was going to fight.


	20. Coiled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: discuss, wait, fade

There was a discussion going on over Derek’s head, the kind parents have in front of their kids where they communicate with looks and nods and headshakes. Derek ignored all of it. 

Nothing could be done until Deaton arrived. Derek already ached with the need to do something - it wouldn’t take much for him to explode into action, and that wouldn’t help. 

So he waited. He listened to Stiles’ heartbeat and told himself it wasn’t fading. Deaton would come and they would figure out what to do. If not, Derek would bring the demon back and get some answers himself.


	21. Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: snack, smile, marriage

The demon eyed Stiles like he was a snack. Stiles wanted to knock that look off his face.

“Tell me, boy, have you ever made a vow?”

“What, like marriage vows?” Stiles played dumb and shrugged. “No.”

“A vow is a promise with weight to it. They should not be broken lightly.”

“Did someone cheat on you? That must suck.” Not that Stiles cared. This definitely had nothing to do with him; he hadn’t broken any promises lately.

“I made a vow, and you’re going to help me keep it.” The demon’s mouth stretched in a parody of a smile.


	22. Puzzle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: straight, letter, breakfast

Deaton strolled through the door, a bag in his hand. Without a word, he went straight to Derek and Stiles and knelt down in front of them.

“Now let’s see what’s important enough to pull me from my breakfast,” he said lightly, lifting one of Stiles’ arms and examining it closely. 

The symbol the demon had cut into his forearm looked like a stylized backwards letter S. The cut was shallow and had already scabbed over.

“He’s been bound to something,” Deaton murmured.

“The hellhound, we think,” Derek said.

“Strange. That’s not what this spell is typically used to do.”


	23. Symbolic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: lake, ground, walk

“How am I going to help?” Stiles asked warily. 

The demon didn’t answer. Stiles turned to look at him and found they were standing on the shore of a lake. Stiles recognized it; Derek had taken him there once when they had gone camping.

“Does it matter?” the demon asked, looking out at the middle of the lake, where the hellhound-dragon lay chained to a rock.

“Um,  _ yes _ .”

The demon laughed. The pull in Stiles’ chest returned. He staggered, dropping to one knee on the damp ground.

“You’ll find out soon,” the demon said and walked out onto the water.


	24. Ray of Hope?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: monster, take, date

“Does that make a difference?” Scott asked. “That it’s not being used right?”

“This type of bond is meant to be symbiotic. I would classify what has been done here as… parasitic, if you will, and not in Mr. Stilinski’s favor.”

“What do we have to do to break it?” Derek growled.

“The bond is permanent,”Deaton said. 

The entire pack erupted.

“What-”

“There has to-”

“We can’t leave him tied to that monster!”

“Help us. We’ll do whatever it takes.”

“To date, this type of bond has never been broken,” Deaton said calmly. “Except by a stronger pre-existing one.”


	25. New Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: finger, glasses, apple

Stiles instinctively grabbed at his chest, trying to stop whatever was being pulled out of him - his soul? His spark? His life?

As soon as his fingers touched the invisible cord, a violent cacophony burst through his head, like a thousand drinking glasses breaking and fireworks exploding and Lydia screaming and-

He covered his ears. The noise stopped and he found himself on the ground, staring up at nothing.

“That looked painful,” the demon said. He was standing next to the hell-dragon, loudly munching on an apple.

Stiles sat up, rubbing his head. Maybe that hadn’t been a good idea.


	26. Preparation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: waist, treat, admire

“What kind of bond should it be?” Scott asked. 

“It’s not the bond itself, but the strength of it. Although it would help if it was magical in nature.”

“Where’s his father?” Argent said unexpectedly.

Scott swore. “I’ll call him.”

“In the meantime, we should treat Stiles’ wounds.” Deaton moved back. “You’ll need to put him down, Derek.”

Derek nodded, but he tightened his grip on Stiles’ waist. “I don’t… On the floor?”

Deaton understood what Derek was trying to say. “Your concern is admirable, but it’s our only option.”

“Here.” Boyd placed his and Isaac’s jackets on the floor.


	27. Monkey Wrench

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: jewel, stroll, necklace

Stiles looked at the hell-dragon. The chain holding it down looked thinner now, like something that would be used for a necklace. Its eyes were open, faceted and glittering like jewels. It was kinda creepy.

He considered his circumstances. This was all in his head. Probably. They were in somebody’s head at any rate, so running away wouldn’t help. 

This wasn’t the real world. So maybe…

He concentrated and a barrier sprang up around him, lessening the pull in his chest. He smirked at the demon.

The demon strolled over. “How long do you think you can keep this up?”


	28. Uncertainty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: method, fold, answer

Deaton started methodically cleaning and bandaging Stiles’ injuries. Erica hesitantly approached and put her folded jacket under Stiles’ head, then joined Boyd and Isaac a few feet away.

Scott came back and knelt next to Deaton. “His dad is on his way,” he said quietly. Derek nodded in answer.

“How will it work?” Derek rasped. He cleared his throat and continued. “Breaking one bond with another?”

“I’m afraid that’s up to Stiles,” Deaton said. “All we can do is provide him with the means and the strength to allow him to do it.”

“What?”

“Magic is not an exact science.”


	29. Flight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: fox, river, bird

The demon circled Stiles, trailing his fingers along the barrier. Occasionally he would poke at it, causing it to flicker despite Stiles’ best efforts to maintain it.

Stiles ignored the demon, his eyes on the hell-dragon. It was transforming again, becoming unmistakably human.

“Enough!” The demon shoved, breaking the barrier. 

Running was pointless; Stiles ran anyway. He moved fast, somehow on four feet. The demon laughed. 

He came to a river, the other bank barely visible. He caught his reflection in the water - a fox looked back at him. Okay then. He sprang into the air and became a bird.


	30. Preparations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: pain, cucumber, snatch

Stiles lay in the middle of a chalk circle inscribed with a variety of symbols - runes, glyphs, and random squiggles. Sheriff Stilinski (who had just arrived), Argent, Scott, Derek, and the rest of the pack stood along the edges of the circle while Deaton mixed a concoction that smelled strangely of cucumbers.

Deaton went around the circle, collecting a drop of blood from each of them. Derek barely noticed the **pain** of it, but he was tempted to snatch the knife from Argent’s belt and hurry things along. Deaton was moving so slowly.

“Now we can begin,” he said finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't name two chapters practically the same thing on purpose. I didn't even notice I'd done it until many chapters later.


	31. Square One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: bottle, massage, snuggle

Stiles flew on and on, though he knew it was useless. The pull in his chest never abated, sapping his strength. Finally he had to land.

He was back in the featureless white fog; he could probably make it look like anything, but it wasn’t worth the effort. He absently massaged his chest.

“...like old times,” the demon said behind him. “You, me, and a bottle of your favorite cognac.”

Stiles turned to find the demon snuggling the hellhound-turned-dragon-turned-person, running his fingers through the man’s hair. The man’s eyes were vacant.

“Are you ready to give up this useless resistance?”


	32. Progress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: hook, credibility, pumpkin

Deaton went around and daubed some of the mixture on everyone’s forehead. It was pumpkin-colored, but still smelled like cucumbers. Cucumpkins? Fear and worry were messing with Derek’s brain; that was something Stiles would have blurted out if he was conscious. 

Deaton used the rest of the mixture on Stiles, recreating the symbols that had been cut into his skin. It was proof of his credibility that no one laughed when he said, “Now think positive thoughts.”

Derek concentrated on Stiles waking up. Then, as if he were attached to a hook, he felt a sharp pull in his chest.


	33. Second Wind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: halt, disaster, height

His flight had tired him more than he’d realized. Stiles sat down heavily, his eyes locked on the man, who was starting to wake up. The demon whispered to him, ignoring Stiles completely.

The shining cord still connected them; Stiles grew weaker as the man became more aware. It was obvious how this was supposed to end - in disaster for Stiles, unless he could figure out a way to halt the energy that was flowing from him.

Stiles’ stomach swooped as if he’d fallen from a great height; flames surged through his body

“What did you do?” the demon hissed.


	34. No Guarantees

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: guilt, mislead, horrible

The pull in Derek’s chest steadied into a constant thrum. From the way the others would occasionally rub at their chests, they were experiencing it too.

“How will we know it’s working?” Erica whispered guiltily, as if she might somehow distract the magic.

Derek glanced at Deaton, who looked as impassive as always. 

“We won’t,” Deaton said. “Either he’ll wake up or the bond you feel will break.”

“But I thought-” Scott began.

“I didn’t intend to mislead you. This is Stiles’ best chance, but there are no guarantees.”

What if Stiles didn’t wake up? It was a horrible thought.


	35. Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: unicorn, belly, moment

With a swift motion, Stiles brought the edge of his hand down on the cord connecting him to the former hellhound, shattering it into shards of multi-colored light. He didn’t know where his newfound strength had come from, but he knew when to seize the moment.

He expected some sort of reaction to the breaking of the bond, but the man just continued to lay there. 

The demon was another story. He shrieked in wordless rage, then transformed into a horse-like horned beast, a vile perversion of a unicorn. He lowered his head and aimed his horn at Stiles’ belly.


	36. Positive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: door, well, strong

“The bond is strong, or you wouldn’t all feel it,” Deaton told them. “Remember, positive energy. Magic can be affected by the smallest thing. Don’t let doubt take hold.”

_ I do believe in fairies, I do, I do _ , Derek thought inanely and a hysterical laugh escaped before he could stop it. Definitely a Stiles-thought.

Everyone stared at him, then Scott laughed, too. “Bunch of jackasses, standing in a circle,” he gasped, and they all started laughing.

“Well, that’s one way to stay positive,” Noah said.

Derek chuckled. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a strange door appear.


	37. Power

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: pack, polite, keep

The demon charged. Stiles flung his hand up and power flew from his fingers, knocking the demon to the ground. The demon took his human form again and got to his feet.

“You think stealing strength from your pack will help you?” He stalked closer, more menacing now than he had been as a beast. “I’ve been polite long enough. I’ve waited centuries for this day and you will not keep him from me any longer.”

“Polite?” Stiles yelped. He had the strength to defend himself now, he just didn’t know how. He backed away and ran into something hard.


	38. Gateway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: proud, leader, retain

Derek suspected no one else could see the door. It belonged to his long-destroyed family home; he would retain the memory of it forever. There was the knocker, shaped like a crescent moon - Peter's idea of a joke - and the painted-over set of claw marks at the top of the frame, from the first time he’d jumped high enough to touch it. He’d been so proud, even though he’d gotten stuck. 

He knew where the door would take him. As a leader, Scott might not let him go through it; as a friend, he would understand why Derek had to.


	39. Future Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: spite, spend, Sunday

Stiles risked a look behind him; there was nothing there, but he was still stuck.

“You were simply the means to an end, but now the thought of you spending an eternity in my little corner of hell delights me,” the demon said spitefully. “‘I’ll be sure to give you my special attention.”

“Why do you sound like a villain from a cheesy movie?” Stiles placed both hands flat on the barrier at his back.

The demon lunged. Stiles  _ pushed _ and the barrier broke. He fell, landing on his ass.

This was not how he thought his Sunday would go.


	40. Reunited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: brag, handy, dinner

Derek walked over to the door. Up close, it wasn’t exactly as he remembered it. Maybe his memory was wrong? He opened it and went through. No one stopped him.

“There you are.” Stiles. On their couch. In their apartment.

“Stiles? How?” 

“Not to brag, but I have the best boyfriend ever. The pack came in handy too, of course.” He jumped up and launched himself at Derek. “Thanks for saving me, big guy,” he whispered in Derek’s ear.

“I don’t-”

“I made dinner.” He took Derek’s hand and tugged him toward the kitchen.

Outside, lightning flashed across the sky.


	41. Hostage

The demon stood over him, triumphant. Stiles could still feel the power from the pack, but what good was it if it only responded to his desperation? 

“You may have broken the bond, but you’re still here, aren’t you? I’ll just start over.”

Without thought, Stiles flung up another magical barrier, stronger than his first one.

The demon scowled. He started to speak, but then cocked his head to the side. A slow smile crossed his face. “What would you do for  _ him _ , I wonder?” He snapped his fingers.

Derek appeared, laying on the ground as if he was sleeping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No prompt words for this drabble


	42. Uneasy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: patient, crouch, dark

“I’ll have to check the wards,” Stiles was saying as he walked away. “Make sure something like that never happens again.”

“Stiles…”

Stiles turned around, a smile on his face. “Something wrong?”

“I don’t remember…”

“It’ll come back to you.” He shrugged and turned away again. “Now, dinner. I’ve been patient long enough.”

Something malevolent was watching him from the shadows, crouched in the dark, waiting for its moment to strike. Derek whirled. 

There was nothing there.

“Hungry?” Stiles called from the kitchen.

Derek looked around, listening intently. Still nothing. “Coming.”

Something was wrong. The question was, did Stiles know?


	43. Trade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: defend, wound, fit

“This is a trick,” Stiles said. “You can make anything appear here.” Even as he said it, he knew Derek was really there.

“True,” the demon said, “but is that a chance you’re willing to take?” He produced a knife and flicked the edge with his thumb. “A bit dull,” he mused.

Of course Stiles wasn’t taking that chance. If Derek was wounded here, how would that translate to the real world? He didn’t want to find out.

“What do you want?” Could he drop his defenses and get to Derek in time?

“Your life for his. It’s only fitting.”


	44. Facade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: sugar, alley, heat

In the kitchen, Stiles was turning down the heat on the oven. He smiled when he saw Derek. “We’re having pasta. Aaaaand,” he tapped the oven door, “I made garlic bread.”

Derek smiled as Stiles danced around the kitchen, grabbing dishes and silverware as he went. He caught Stiles by the waist and pulled him close. “Gimme some sugar, baby,” he said in an over-the-top imitation of Bruce Campbell. Stiles burst out laughing.

They jerked apart at the sound of breaking glass. Derek ran out in time to see a dark figure jump from the window to the alley below.


	45. Deception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: kit, free, prince

Stiles dismissed the idea of surrendering. The demon wouldn’t let Derek go free even if Stiles did what he wanted.

That didn’t mean he couldn’t play along. “Do I have your word that you’ll release Derek?”

“Indeed. My word as a Prince of Hell, the wolf goes free.” There was a peculiar twist to his smile.

Stiles could think of several ways the demon could bend that promise while still technically keeping his word, if he didn’t break it outright.

“Okay.” Stiles took a breath and dropped his shield. He immediately transformed into a fox kit and ran for Derek.


	46. Mask

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: mole, quiet, whisper

Derek ran to the window, ready to chase the intruder. He was almost through it when Stiles yelled, “Derek!”

He whirled, prepared to face whatever danger Stiles was in, only to find him standing calmly in the kitchen door.

“Don’t go. I’ll call Dad. He can handle it,” he said quietly.

Derek froze. Stiles would never suggest anything that might put his father in danger. He studied the person in front of him intently. He looked just like Stiles, down to the moles on his cheeks. But something wasn’t right. “You’re not Stiles,” he whispered.

“Who else would I be?”


	47. Out of the...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: mark, sniff, forget

The demon slashed at Stiles as he ran past, a bolt of magical energy shooting from his hand. It hit the ground just behind Stiles. Stiles yelled - well, yipped - and made himself run faster.

He reached Derek and put up a magical shield, just in time to deflect another magical bolt. It spread across the barrier, then disappeared without a mark.

“Congratulations, you’ve successfully reached your lover,” the demon sneered. “But you forget, you’re both still trapped here.”

Stiles ignored him and sniffed at Derek’s still form. He seemed fine, just asleep.

Shit, what  _ was _ he going to do now?


	48. Gut Feeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: Monday, murder, redo

Stiles - or rather Not-Stiles - was waiting patiently for Derek’s answer, but Derek didn’t have one. He had no proof, just a gut feeling.

Not-Stiles laughed and suddenly Derek was doubting himself. “What, I’m some kind of shapeshifter who stole your boyfriend’s face so I can murder you?”

That didn’t sound right to Derek; he shook his head. Whatever was going on, it wasn’t that.

“I think you have a case of the Mondays. I’ll call the police about our intruder, and we’ll eat, okay? Although I might have to redo everything.”

Derek watched him carefully. He’d figure it out eventually.


	49. Cuddling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: fur, arm, tape

Stiles paced the limits of the area protected by his shield. The demon was ignoring him, so Stiles decided to return the favor. They would deal with each other soon enough.

Derek was still unconscious and Stiles had no idea how to wake him or even if he should. He burrowed under Derek's arm, wiggling around until his fur wasn't being ruffled, which was surprisingly annoying.

_ Ha! I'm getting hair all over you _ , he thought at Derek.  _ Payback for your wolfy hair getting everywhere. And there's no  _ _tape_ _ to help you clean it off. _ Stiles knew he was being ridiculous.


	50. One Little Crack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: cotton, bee, hay

Derek stared at the kitchen towels hanging on the oven door. They were three of them, embroidered with farm animals and hay bales. The one in the middle had a barn on it. When had they bought those? Were they a gift? 

“You like them? I got them today. They’re 100% cotton,” Not-Stiles said, as if either of them cared about the fabric content of the fucking kitchen towels. Derek half expected to see him in a dress and pearls like some 50s TV housewife.

Static filled Derek’s brain like the buzzing of a thousand bees.

“Derek? Is something wrong?”


	51. Idyll

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: inappropriate, countryside, cattle

The scene around them changed, becoming hilly countryside, complete with cattle-dotted pastures in the distance. The demon was sitting on a blanket at the top of a rise, his dragon-man’s head in his lap, running his fingers through the man’s hair. They were surrounded by wildflowers rustling in a gentle breeze. 

Stiles snorted.

The demon glared down the hill at him.

_ Oh, was that  _ _inappropriate?_ Stiles thought mockingly, but he didn’t bother to change back to his human form to say it aloud. He didn’t know if he could maintain the shield if he did. He had to protect Derek.


	52. Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: tactic, revenge, witch

“Honey?”

Not-Stiles’ voice was different somehow, higher-pitched. Derek turned to look at him and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed an odd ripple in the air that surrounded Not-Stiles, like heat haze.

“You’re not Stiles,” Derek said again.

Not-Stiles sighed, irritated. “I didn’t think that tactic would work, but I had to try.” As he spoke, the ripple intensified. When the air cleared, a woman was standing in Not-Stiles’ place. A familiar woman.

“Oh, honey,” Jennifer said, shaking her head, “you messed with the wrong witch. I prayed so hard for my revenge, and here you are.”


	53. Wanderer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: bow, good, honest

“This is not a sight I thought to see today,” a strange voice said.

Stiles turned his head to find a person standing not too far away, dressed in what Stiles thought of as forest elf clothing, including an unstrung longbow slung behind their back. He tilted his head in a silent question.

“One sees all sorts of things here, good and bad,” the person went on. “The trick is knowing which is which.”

“Move on, wanderer, this is none of your affair,” the demon said idly.

“Not much is, to be honest, yet here I am. Shall we begin?”


	54. Fight or Flight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: owl, tell, bury

The apartment shimmered around them, resolving into a dark forest.

“Isn’t this better?” Jennifer crooned. An owl hooted overhead. 

Derek took a step back. “Why are you doing this?”

Jennifer advanced. “I’ve been trapped here for a very. Long. Time. You are going to help me get free. You’ll be stuck here in my place, but sacrifices must be made.” She giggled at her little joke. “Now, tell me where they buried my body.”

“What?”

“I’ll tear the information from you if I must. Tell me!” She extended her hand, glowing with power.

Derek froze. Should he run or fight?


	55. Prepare Your Defense

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: term, crash, hurt

_ Begin?  _ Stiles wondered.

The newcomer crossed their arms. “All your crashing about is disturbing things that ought not be disturbed. I’m here to sort it out.”

“What are the terms?” the demon asked slyly.

“Well, depending on what I learn, I may leave you to it. Or I’ll boot you out of here to finish it elsewhere. I may even keep one of you and let the other go. I really can’t say yet.”

The demon was already coming up with lies, Stiles knew it. He had to change back, even if it meant he and Derek might get hurt. 


	56. Tussle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: snarl, fast, overwhelm

Energy crackled in the air around Jennifer’s hand. Her eyes narrowed and Derek acted, moving fast before her spell was ready.

He rushed at her, snarling, hoping to overwhelm her and keep her from using her magic. He swiped at her, not expecting to hit her, and he didn’t. She darted away, screaming incoherently.

Derek twisted around, his feet skidding on the forest floor as he changed direction. He launched himself at her off the trunk of a nearby tree. A bolt of magic sizzled as it passed his head.

What was he going to do if he caught her?


	57. Vulnerable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: snail, deer, dash

Stiles willed himself to change back to his human form. Unlike all of the other transformations he’d gone through here, it wasn’t sped up by desperation, and the change crept over him at a snail’s pace. At least it wasn’t painful.

As Stiles had expected, his shield disappeared. He figured the demon wasn’t going to attack in front of their witness, but he still curled his hand around Derek’s forearm, as if he could grab him and dash away if needed.

“You’re as skittish as a deer,” the stranger observed.

“I wonder why,” Stiles said, his eyes on the demon.


	58. Impasse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: print, anger, middle

Jennifer jumped away before he reached her. Derek tucked and rolled when he hit the ground, coming up on his feet in the middle of the clearing. He whirled to face her.

She laughed mockingly. “You should have run.” She stomped one foot, sending a shockwave through him, and he shifted, out of his control.

Anger almost blinded him. How dare she take that from him?

She smirked and he leapt at her again, knocking her to the ground. He snarled in her face; she threw him off. She stood, dirty pawprints on her shirt.

They stared at each other.


	59. Collateral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: knit, tender, kiss

“What’s going on with your friend there?” the stranger asked.

Stiles stroked Derek’s hair tenderly, pushing it back from his face. Every time he saw Derek like this, he had to fight back the urge to knit him a blanket and wrap him up in it and keep him safe from the whole fucking world. He kissed Derek’s forehead. “He shouldn’t be here. He isn’t part of this.”

The stranger’s eyes turned white. “Another has claimed him,” they said in a distant voice. “But the claim is weak,” they added more normally. They snapped their fingers.

Derek opened his eyes.


	60. Dream Sequence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: pole, jungle, warrant

Derek was dreaming. He had to be. One minute he and Jennifer were facing off against each other, the next, Stiles was sliding down a fire pole in their apartment, shouting, “Don’t let them in without a warrant!”

Then he and Stiles were running away from people shooting at them; Stiles was dressed like Indiana Jones. Derek hoped he wasn’t in a red sequined dress. There was a random door in front of them; they went through it and Stiles slammed it shut. “It’s a jungle out there,” he said with a smirk. “Ready to go?”

Derek opened his eyes.


	61. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: due, fade, password

“Stiles?” Derek asked hoarsely.

Stiles slumped in relief, his fingers still in Derek’s hair. Derek sat up and looked around, taking in the demon on the hill and the stranger standing nearby. Then he looked at Stiles intently. “Is it really you?” he whispered.

“It’s me. I told you we should have a secret password for situations like this.”

Derek relaxed, just a bit. “Yeah, I’d say it’s overdue,” he murmured. He got to his feet and Stiles scrambled up after him.

The light was fading from the sky. For the first time, Stiles wondered what this place really was.


	62. Ominous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: map, ditch, thunder

“I’m surprised to see you here,” the demon said to Derek. “I would have thought Jennifer - or is that Julia? - would have left your body in a ditch by now. She’s quite insane.”

Derek snorted, but ignored the demon. “Where are we?” he asked Stiles quietly.

“No idea. Alternate dimension or some sort of spiritual plane of existence, maybe? We’re not on any map, that’s for sure.”

“Does it matter?” the stranger asked.

“It might help us get home,” Stiles answered.

“It has yet to be decided if you’ll be leaving.” The stranger turned away.

Thunder rolled in the distance.


	63. Long Story Short

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: trust, sweet, wake

“Derek shouldn’t even be here,” Stiles told the stranger. “Just send him back.”

Derek grabbed Stiles’ arm. “I’m not going without you.”

“That’s so sweet,” the demon sneered. They ignored him.

“Trust me, Derek, you don’t belong here.”

Derek cupped Stiles’ face. “Trust _me_ , I’m not leaving you. You don’t belong here either.”

“How did you come to be here?” the stranger asked Derek.

Derek took Stiles’ hand and stood next to him. “There was a door. I thought it took me home, but it was a trick. Je- someone tried to kill me and then I woke up here.”


	64. Trial (I)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: eye, moon, beat

“That is an unusual use of one of the Doors,” the stranger said. “Did it just appear, or did you call it?”

“I don't know how to do that,” Derek answered.

The stranger eyed him. “Perhaps not intentionally. Those ruled by the moon have their own ways. But that is a puzzle for another time.”

“Let’s get this over with,” the demon said abruptly. He was close, though he hadn’t seemed to move.

“Make your argument,” the stranger said mildly.

“This one,” he pointed at Stiles, “is mine. There is a debt of blood.”

Stiles’ heart began to beat furiously.


	65. Negative Thinking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: nap, flower, swim

For an instant, Stiles wished he was better at ignoring reality. Maybe then they wouldn’t be in this situation. They’d be at a beach somewhere, swimming in the ocean, sipping drinks with flowers sticking out of them and napping under a giant umbrella when they got tired.

Apparently, he couldn’t escape reality even in his wishful thinking. Because if he had ignored reality, he’d probably be dead. So would Scott and Derek, if they weren’t trapped as crazy-Alpha Peter’s werewolf lackeys. But no, hunters would have gotten involved in _that_ situation.

Nope, no happy endings, not even in his daydreams.


	66. Trial (II)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: hero, say, freeze

“What debt?” Stiles asked, shaking off his depressing thoughts.

“A spark of your bloodline made a deal with one of my brethren,” the demon said. “When the time came, he did not keep his end of the bargain. As a consequence, my… friend was punished, transformed into a mindless hellhound for eternity.”

“You’re saying I’m responsible for someone else’s bargain? Maybe when hell freezes over.”

“Heroic words from one such as you. Dishonor is in your blood,” the demon sneered.

“Yeah, I’d be offended if that _had anything to do with me_.”

“Some debts can be inherited,” the stranger said.


	67. Trial (III)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: standard, color, private

“So debt is genetic now?” Stiles raised a disbelieving eyebrow at the demon and the stranger. The demon merely smiled.

“If the bargain your ancestor made allowed for it to be passed on, it may indeed fall upon you now,” the stranger said.

“That is standard for any demon deal,” the demon said smugly.

Stiles started to say something, but Derek stopped him. “I need to speak to Stiles. Privately.”

The stranger nodded and the two of them moved away.

“They can probably still hear us,” Stiles muttered.

“Something’s wrong.”

“What isn’t?”

“Have you noticed the color of their eyes?”


	68. Adjournment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: loud, guess, bread

“I guess?” Stiles shrugged. “The demon has red eyes, like other demons of Christian origin, and the newcomer…” his voice trailed off.

“They keep changing.”

“Which means…”

“I don’t know.”

Stiles stared at him. “Okay, then I’m taking them at face value.”

“We can’t trust-”

“Do I ever trust anyone? I didn’t say I was going to stop being suspicious. I’m ready to put the smackdown on everybody at this point.”

Derek raised an eyebrow. “The ‘smackdown’?”

“Come, break bread with us,” the demon called loudly.

‘What?’ Stiles mouthed. “Uh, how about no? We don’t want to be trapped here.”


	69. Distraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: love, heart, husband

Derek kept watch as Stiles argued against the ‘symbolic’ sharing of food the demon was insisting they take part in. The stranger was infuriatingly unhelpful, agreeing with the demon that Stiles and Derek should eat the food and agreeing with Stiles that they should not eat the food. What were they trying to accomplish?

Stiles was in fine form, though, countering the demon’s arguments with a mix of logic and a stubborn refusal to give in. Derek’s heart swelled with love for him - when they got out of this, he was finally going to ask Stiles to be his husband.


	70. Small Victory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: carve, candy, cemetery

“You know, the way you’re pushing this whole food-sharing thing is very ‘Do you want some candy, little boy?’” Stiles folded his arms. “The next thing I know, you’ll be carving arcane symbols into my skin. Oh, wait, you already did that.”

The demon rolled his eyes. “It’s not like I flayed the flesh from your body and pinned you like a butterfly to the gates of a cemetery.”

“That’s oddly specific, and only proves my point. I don’t trust you and I don’t trust your food. It’s not going to happen. Move on.”

The demon glared, then shrugged. “Fine.”


	71. Sidetracked?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: fang, species, bat

Derek thought they would go back to arguing over Stiles’ responsibility (or lack of it) for his ancestor’s deal with the demon, but instead the stranger wandered over to him. The demon sneered at them all, baring fang-like teeth. Stiles batted his eyelashes mockingly.

“I don’t see many of your species here,” the stranger said as if they were discussing the weather. “Few werewolves take up the practice of magic.”

“Is this a place for magic-users, then?”

The stranger shrugged. “I wouldn’t swear to it. Perhaps only the magic-users are revealed to me while the rest pass by like ghosts.”


	72. Flashback

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: soul, dressing, see

“Wait,” Stiles said with a frown. “What exactly was the deal? Nothing from you,” he added, pointing at the demon. “I wouldn’t believe you if you told me water is wet.”

“I can show you, if you’d like to see,” the stranger said.

Stiles squinted at him, then raised an eyebrow at Derek. Derek shrugged.

“Go ahead.”

The stranger waved their hand and three people appeared in front of them. One man lay on the ground, a blood-stained dressing around his torso. Two others stood over him. One of them held a piece of paper. “His life for your soul.”


	73. Damning Evidence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: stuff, hostile, fuss

Stiles had the stranger repeat the brief encounter, then freeze it so he could read the contract. The descendants clause was there, but nothing that might help him now. Demons had been perfecting their deals for centuries.

“Such a fuss over something you can’t change,” the demon said. “Accept it. Meet your end with dignity.”

Derek stood in front of Stiles and glared.

“So hostile,” the demon tutted.

“Stuff it,” Stiles snapped. “Question. Can he take my soul if it’s going to kill me? There’s nothing here about my life.”

“An unfortunate side effect. Consider it interest on the debt.”


	74. Trial (IV)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: cage, comfort, glare

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Stiles turned to the stranger. “C’mon, tell me this is a ‘pound of flesh but not a single drop of blood’ situation.”

The stranger shook their head. “The two are entwined. If your soul is his, so too is your life.”

“Wow, comforting,” Stiles muttered.

“No,” Derek growled, still glaring at the demon. “This isn’t right.”

“Right? Was it right for my friend to be caged inside a beast because of _his_ bloodline’s treachery?”

“Hypocrite much?” Stiles said. “You guys have been tricking humans for centuries. You can’t take what you’ve been dishing out, huh?”


	75. Attack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: sharp, throat, bruise

Without warning, the demon charged at Stiles, knocking Derek aside. He wrapped his hand around Stiles’ throat and squeezed. 

“You are useful to me for one reason. Once my beloved is himself once more, we will demonstrate how worthless you are. For an eternity.”

Stiles wheezed as he tried to free himself. Derek came up behind the demon and grabbed him by the throat too, his sharp claws digging into soft skin.

“Let him go.”

“You think you can hurt me? Here?”

“Yes,” Derek said, tightening his grip.

The demon let Stiles go. 

“Shit, that’s gonna bruise,” Stiles said, coughing.


	76. Regroup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: gesture, tie, step

Derek helped Stiles stand up. 

“How did you know that would work?” Stiles asked, rubbing his neck.

“If he could hurt you, I could hurt him.” Derek gestured at Stiles’ throat. “Is it bad?”

Stiles shook his head. “Not like it would if this was real. I don't think I'll be wearing ties for a while.”

“You don't wear ties.”

“And I'm not going to start anytime soon.” Despite his flippant words, he stepped closer to Derek, trembling slightly.

Derek gave in to his instincts and wrapped his arms around Stiles.

“What are we going to do?”

“I don't know.”


	77. Decision Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: jam, suitcase, rough

“Enough of this,” the demon growled. “Wanderer! If you truly have the power to decide this matter, do so. The evidence is clear; his soul is mine.” He sneered at Stiles. “I’d say pack your suitcase, but you can’t exactly take anything with you, can you?”

“No,” Derek said roughly. “This is a trick. Demons always cheat.”

“Only when needed, and I obviously have no need.”

Stiles glanced at the stranger, only to find them hunkered down, sawing at a loaf of bread with a small knife.

“Jam and bread? This isn’t a decision to make on an empty stomach.”


	78. Epiphany

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: agree, snow, way

“I’m not hungry,” Stiles said, his mind racing, trying to figure out a way out of this predicament.

“There’s no point in drawing this out,” the demon said. “I’m sure you agree.”

“No,” he and Derek said together.

The stranger ignored them all.

“Let me know when I’m allowed to take my property,” the demon said and went back to his friend (or was that beloved?) laying nearby.

Stiles studied the flashback. It was snowing, but his great-great whatever wasn’t dressed for it. What had led them to this? And...

“How exactly is he related to me?” he wondered aloud.


	79. The Right Track

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: lazy, spread, wave

“An excellent question.” The stranger stood up and brushed off their hands.

“What does it matter?” the demon said, lazily waving a dismissive hand. “The number of ‘greats’ before ‘grandfather’ doesn’t change a thing.”

“I’d like to be sure I’m blaming the right relative, that’s all,” Stiles said lightly. He was on the right track, he could feel it.

“I do like to be thorough when deciding someone’s eternal fate. The contract, please,” the stranger added, his outstretched hand spread wide.

“This is unnecessary,” the demon said. “Everything is in order.”

“Then this is merely a formality,” the stranger answered.


	80. Obstruction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: wing, hand, definite

“What’s going on?” Derek whispered to Stiles as the demon and the stranger engaged in a silent battle of wills.

“I don’t think that dude was my however-many-greats grandfather,” Stiles whispered back. “And I’ll bet our judge and jury over there is getting definite proof.”

The demon snapped his fingers and a winged figure appeared.

“Record Keeper, the contract,” the demon commanded.

“Which one?” the Record Keeper asked.

That set off a series of vague descriptions from the demon and clarifying questions from the angel-looking person that was almost laughable, but finally a scroll was placed in the stranger’s hand.


	81. Rest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: loss, pillow, wrap

While the stranger examined the contract, Stiles took the chance to rest. He sat down and tugged at Derek until he sat too.

“As soon as I get home, I’m grabbing my pillow, wrapping myself up in a comfy blanket, and not coming out for a week,” he said, leaning against Derek’s shoulder.

Derek nodded, at a loss for words. He shifted around until he could put his arm around Stiles, pulling him closer.

“I just want this to be over,” Stiles said with a sigh.

“Me too,” Derek replied.

The stranger approached. “I’ll need a drop of your blood.”


	82. Solemn Oath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: vampire, west, sausage

“Are you a vampire?” Stiles joked weakly.

“And give up food? There’s nothing like starting the day with a breakfast of eggs and sausage.”

“So, you need my blood because…”

“To compare to the blood on the contract and determine your kinship, nothing more.”

“It doesn’t matter that we’re not physically here?”

“It’s all symbolic, young man. Come, just a drop.” The stranger held out a knife and Stiles took it reluctantly.

“I don’t want my blood ‘accidentally’ getting on that contract,” he said.

“May the sun never set in the west for all of my days if it does.”


	83. Point of No Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: aware, satisfied, offend

“That sounds poetic, but what does it mean?” Stiles blurted out, then bit his lip. It wouldn’t do to offend the person who was going to decide if he lived or died.

The stranger laughed. “It’s a fancy way to say may I never know rest if I fail you.”

Stiles nodded, satisfied. He pierced the tip of his finger. A bead of blood welled up. “Will this do?”

“You’re aware if this shows you are descended from that man, there is little I can do to save you? The Law is absolute and knows nothing of mercy.”

Stiles nodded.


	84. Revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: earthquake, budge, root

The stranger held their hand out, holding it inches above Stiles’ bloody finger. They held the contract in their other hand. Nothing was happening that he could see, but Stiles was rooted in place, as if one wrong wobble would change his DNA. Derek was plastered against him and Stiles didn’t think an earthquake could budge him - he had no problem with that.

“You do share the same bloodline,” the stranger said finally and Stiles couldn’t breathe, couldn’t hear over the roaring in his ears. He’d been so sure. What now?

“But you are not his descendant,” the stranger continued.


	85. Bargaining

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: golden, oak, stumble

If it was possible to stumble while sitting, Stiles had just done it. This was it; that had to be enough to get him out of this.

The stranger went over to the demon. The demon glared, his face a mixture of rage and fear. “It would have worked, if not for you,” he spat.

“You know the Law,” the stranger said.

“I’ll take on his punishment,” the demon said urgently. “Just free him.”

“That is not for me to decide.” As the stranger spoke, a golden light began to shine and a being, tall like an oak tree, appeared.


	86. Punishment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: iron, shadow, urgency

The light from the being cast everything around them into shadow. Stiles wasn’t sure what an angel actually looked like, but he thought this might be it. He had the impression of immense strength, an iron will. It was as if eternity had been given form. He had to look away.

“Please,” the demon said, urgency in his voice. “Listen. Let me ex-”

“Silence,” the being said. Stiles heard it not only with his ears, but with his soul. Derek growled and held him tighter. “I know your crimes.”

The light vanished, along with the demon and the former hellhound.


	87. Narrow Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: dance, crime, firefighter

Usually, Stiles liked to do a happy dance when he escaped death. This time, he couldn’t even do one internally. He was officially over this supernatural bullshit. He was going to go home and become a firefighter. Or better, fight crime like his dad. Live a normal life and forget the supernatural world existed.

Except for Derek. And Scott. And the rest of the pack.

Dammit.

“We were in luck,” the stranger said. “The Morningstar must have been in a hurry, or he might have stayed to chat.”

So that hadn’t been an angel, after all. At least, not anymore.


	88. Time To Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: staff, follow, anxiety

The stranger pulled a staff from nowhere. “Come, follow me. I’ll show you the way home.”

Derek and Stiles jumped to their feet, more than ready to go.

“Will the demon try again?” Derek asked as they walked, anxiety making his stomach churn. He didn’t want to go through something like this again, and he especially didn’t want Stiles to have to either.

“He’ll be occupied by other matters for some time,” the stranger replied. “And his lack of claim has been proven. You have nothing to fear.”

“From him,” Stiles muttered.

“True enough. But it’s one less worry, yes?”


	89. Exit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: choke, miserable, cafe

The sun beat down on them, the heat choking the life out of the few miserable plants that were growing. The landscape shifted, becoming a quiet street in a small town.

“Doors emit too much energy,” the stranger told them. “This close, it’s harder to transmute that energy properly.”

They stopped next to a deserted cafe. In front of them, hanging in midair, was a nondescript door.

“Here lies your way. If all goes well, we shall never meet again.”

“Thank you,” Stiles said. “Ah, sorry, I never asked your name.”

“Just as well, for I’m still searching for it.”


	90. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: deck, grave, flow

Derek reached out and opened the door. Beyond the door frame it was utterly black.

“It’s as dark as a grave. Where does it go?” Stiles asked.

“Home,” the stranger said.

Stiles nodded and took Derek’s hand. “Guess we won’t be seeing you. Um, bye.”

Derek squeezed his hand and they stepped through.

The ground beneath them pitched and rolled like the deck of a ship. Points of light flowed toward them and zipped past. Then everything stopped.

They opened their eyes.

The pack was staring down at them.

“Oh, thank god,” Stiles groaned. “Look, Toto, we’re back in Kansas.”


	91. Epilogue: Happily Ever After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: needle, tree, topple

Stiles and Derek were walking through the Preserve, alone for once. Ever since the demon thing, the pack hadn’t let them out of their sight. There had been a lot of impromptu sleepovers lately.

They came to a large tree toppled by some long ago storm and decided to take a break. Stiles sat on the trunk and Derek stood nearby, his head tilted back, eyes closed, enjoying the day. Stiles idly stripped pine needles from a fallen branch.

Derek looked at him and smiled. He pulled a small box from his pocket. “Stiles? I wanted to ask you something.”


End file.
